聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Forget residents Leon and Gayla Gilbertson are more aware than most of聽 the heartfelt hold The Happy Nun Cafe has on the people in their community and beyond. As the Nun's new owners, the couple aim to both uphold and build on the Forget institution's reputation as what Gayla calls a place that offers 鈥済ood food, good music and good times.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 worked front of house for Katie and Riley,鈥� says the former insurance broker. 鈥淎nd Leon bartended occasionally. We know what Shannon and Don (Shakotko) built and we know what Katie (Vinge-Riddell) and Riley (Riddell) contributed to The Happy Nun, so it's a special place, for sure.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nd on a personal note, Leon and I had our first date there, when Shannon and Don first owned it,鈥� says Gayla. 鈥淎nd shortly after Katie took it over, I started working for her there, and I think I only missed three weekends, so we're now both personally and professionally invested in The Happy Nun.鈥澛�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Along with many others, the Gilbertsons mourned the death of founder Don Shakotko shortly after he sold The Happy Nun Cafe and later, the untimely passing of owner and chef, Katie Vinge-Riddell.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he Happy Nun is definitely more than a restaurant or a building,鈥� says Gayla. 鈥淭he food, the music and the community that can be found within the Nun creates a magical balance. It's a place where the whole outside world just falls away and people just relax and more often than not, meet new friends.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚've seen it there, myself,鈥� she adds. 鈥淣ot only have I seen diners form lasting friendships there, I've also seen people choose The Happy Nun as a place for engagements, birthdays, weddings anniversaries and celebrations that are meaningful to them.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪o really, it had to be open,鈥� says Gayla. 鈥淲e discussed taking over The Nun with Riley after some time had passed. We all discussed it together and I think Riley wanted to make sure The Happy Nun had a good home. And so did we. It means a lot to us that Riley wanted us and that he was so supportive.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t was a hard but easy decision. I have a full-time career as an insurance broker that I'll be ending soon,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd we have five children between the two of us. But really, we feel this is where we need to be.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Between the two of them, Gayla and Leon have roots in the Forget community and in the restaurant industry.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淟eon grew up in Forget and his mom, Sharon cooked at The Blue Spruce restaurant for years and she also did a lot of catering,鈥� says Gayla, a Manitoba native. 鈥淎nd the restaurant industry has always been part of what I've done, even if it hasn't always been full-time.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ne of the things Katie and I bonded over was our mutual love of and passion for food,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd one of the things we talked about was the food we'd grown up with. One of my grandmothers had Norwegian and Ukrainian roots and feeding people is what you did, according to her. Whether people were happy or celebrating or mourning - you fed them.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y other grandmother was all about farm food - and you cooked with any ingredients you聽 grew or raised yourself.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥nce when we talked, Katie burned everything - which is something she would never do - simply because we were talking about food and were so engrossed in our conversation.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Gilbertsons are committed to featuring Saskatchewan talent and products at The Happy Nun whenever possible.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭his currently includes food and drink from the Stoughton Meat Market, Last Mountain Distillery, Calibre Coffee and Bandit Distillery, to name just a few,鈥� says Gayla. 鈥淎nd our list of Saskatchewan suppliers will grow as we continue to source.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nd a lot of the artists we've booked into the new year are from the southeast corner of the province.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Gilbertson says The Happy Nun's menu will consist of 鈥渓ots of my favourites - many of which I've made for my family. We'll have supper seatings on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. We'll be open for Sunday brunch and we'll serve light lunches on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e'll change the menu on a monthly basis,鈥� says Gayla. 鈥淏ecause we want people to make The Happy Nun their date night destination. We'll also offer live music once a month as well as a monthly open mic night.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Happy Nun's February 3 Grand Opening is already a sell-out, as is its February 24 inaugural open mic night. However, the Glibertsons have already booked musical entertainment and open mic evenings well into 2018.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e really want people to come out and enjoy this very special place,鈥� says Gayla. 鈥淲e're excited about the musicians we've booked, the food we'll serve and the people we'll welcome to The Happy Nun.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏ut most of all, we're honoured to be a part of such a special legacy. And we want everyone聽 who comes to The Happy Nun to feel like they're part of something special.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 To make reservations, email: [email protected] or check out The Happy Nun Cafe on Facebook.聽聽聽聽
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